The Bonds of Tennis
by XxTwisted-Miss-MayhemxX
Summary: Marie finds out that she has been living with her Aunt posing as her Mother for almost eighteen years! Her real Mother and her Father have come from Japan to take her back with them. She even finds out that her name isn't Marie! How will things turn out?
1. Chapter 1

I felt tears in my eyes as I listened to the words that they were saying. "So…you're not my real Mother? She's my real Mother?"

I blinked past my blur of tears to stare at the two women before me. The woman whom I'd thought was my mother reached out, as I she was going to hug me, but stopped. "N-No, Marie. I'm not. I'm your Aunt."

I looked at the other woman, my "real" mother. Her eyes were as sympathetic as any Mother's would be. She had deep green eyes, I noticed. Much like my own, only adding more to the reality of it all.

"I'm sorry, Sweetie. Your Father thought that you'd live a better life here in America, but we just couldn't take not having you at home in Kantou."

I felt anger towards the couple before me. The woman, Hikari, looked like she could cry. The man beside her, my "real" father, looked sincerely sad for me, but that didn't deteriorate my anger.

"Then why wait seventeen years? Why did you wait till my last semester of High School to tell me all of this?"

"Marie, that's enough. Now, go pack your things so that you and your p-parents can go home to uh, Kan…?"

"Kantou." I corrected her simply, it finally clicking as to why I could learn and speak Japanese so fluently. It was in my blood.

My Aunt nodded though her tear filled eyes. I ran up to my room to pack and to cry my heart out.

After I finished packing, I called my Best Friend Kylie and told her the news. She wasn't happy, but she dealt with it. Just like I had to.

I pleaded my "parents" to take me out to eat so that I could see my friends one last time. They agreed, of course. They were already uprooting me from everything that I'd ever known, so, they'd do anything to make me happy.

I hugged my former mother. She cried, as did I. I was surprised to see my brother looking sad. He actually hugged me, along with Tommy, my Aunt's moved in boyfriend.

I climbed into the Charger that my parents had rented. We pulled out of the driveway, my entire life falling behind in the rearview mirrors.


	2. Chapter 2

We sat in Rio Grande, waiting for my friends. Surprisingly, my Mother and I hit it off, mostly because she was a lot like me. My father just smiled at us, joining in a few times.

Then, I noticed a wrapped box next to the chair that my father was sitting in. "Um, Da- I mean, Tou-san? What's that? He grinned at me, apparently liking the name. As he smiled, I noticed how his cheek bones seemed to light up as he did so. Just like mine did.

"Well, I was going to give it to you as a "Welcome Home" gift, but I just couldn't wait. I figured that you'd want something to do in your spare time, so, I thought, what better way than this?"

He handed me the box and my mother grabbed my drink to pull it to her side of the table so that I didn't knock it over on myself.

I gently pulled away the bright green paper, not wanting to rip the cute little Neko's on the wrappings.

When I finally peeled away the paper and folded it neatly in my purse, I was left with a cardboard box. I gingerly pulled the lid up and gasped, my eyes sparkling as I pulled out a Tennis racket from its dormant place.

My eyes traced over the purple wood that held the lined net. My hand expertly clutched the black handle.

That's when I noticed the brand name and my eyes widened. "T-Tou-san! Kaa-san! This is a Prince Deluxe racket! They're so expensive! A-Arigato!"

They smiled, pleased to see me as happy as I was, especially now that I was adapting to my second native tongue. "We're glad that you like it, Dear. Oh! Micheal, did we ever tell her what her name really is?"

My father looked thoughtful for a moment, then shook his head. "No, Hikari, I don't think we did. Marie, well, your name isn't Marie. Well, not in Japan. Here it is. On your original Birth Certificate, your name is Chise Hanamura."

I blinked, taking in the new found information. "I'm Chise." I sounded out the new words, then smiled cutely. "I like it!"

I placed my new racket back into the box just as I felt arms wrap around my neck and tears seep through my shirt. Immediately recognizing the sobbing, I turned to hug Kylie. I patted her hair, trying my hardest not to cry as well.

"Go on to the bathroom, Sweetie. I'll be in there in a minute."

She nodded and ran in the direction of the bathroom. I sighed and looked at my parent's guilty expressions. "Don't worry. She'll be okay. I was just there for her when no one else was. Uh, if Eleanor and Tammy, or Missy come in, will you tell them that I'll be out in a second?" I explained to them what my friends looked like, then went to find Kylie.

In the bathroom, a lady was washing her hand and gave me a dirty looks as I looked for Kylie's converses under the stalls.

"Kylie? Are you in here?" A stall opened and she pulled me inside, latching onto me as soon as the door was locked again.

"W-Why? Why do you have to go this late into the school year? Can't they let you finish college as least? I need you, Marie!"

I sighed, rubbing her back. "You and I both know that we'd be separating eventually, Kylie. It's just sooner than we thought. And please don't blame them, Ky. Could you really take having your daughter a whole continent away and never getting to know her?"

She went quiet for a minute, then spoke a reluctant 'no'.I smiled, taking some tissue from the dispenser and dabbed at her tears.

"Come on now, Sweetie. Let's go get something to eat so that you can meet my parents."

She nodded, sniffling a bit. We walked out, and saw all of my friends sitting across from my parent. I took the seat that was left for me in between my parents.

My friends stared at me, waiting for me to start. I sighed, running my eyes over them. Missy and Tammy looked really sad, while Eleanor looked as if she'd been crying. Kylie, of course, was.

"Guys, I'd like you to meet my real parents, Micheal Hanamura and Hikari Hanamura."

My friends introduced themselves, all in equally cracked voices.

It was quiet a long time. It made me really sad, but soon everyone was talking and laughing. Even Kylie had stopped crying and was laughing at a joke that my father told.

The time finally came to leave. My parents went to go get the car while I hugged my friends goodbye on last time.

Eleanor hugged me, crying quietly. I cried, too, returning her embrace. All of my friends hugged us, making a big group hug.

"I-I'll come and visit you guys that first chance I get!" I cried onto Eleanor's shoulder as Missy hugged my neck. Even though I said that I would, I know that the chances of me ever getting to come back were very slim.

"Come on, Sweetie. It's time to go." My mom got out of the car and bowed to my friends. "we are very sorry for taking her from you girls, but we just couldn't live without our baby any longer."

I smiled at her, and stepped out of the circle of my friends embraces. I turned back to them when I was beside my mom. She put her arm around my shoulders and gave me a comforting squeeze.

"I love you guys with all of my heart. Don't forget to stay true to yourself and be there for each other as much as possible."

Then, my mother led me to the car, and to the last hours of my life in America.


End file.
